60 eventsREVEREND DOCTOR FELICISIMO SANTOS CAO
2010 – 2013; 2014 – Present
With passion and urgency in his voice, Pastor Fel S. Cao called on us to do a mid-year review of our plans and visions, so we can align our ministries with the goals of the new conference year and be more responsive to the needs of the communities.
Pastor Fel made the appeal June 25, two days after he was re-appointed as our minister during the 169th session of the Cal-Nevada Annual Conference.
In his announcement, Pastor Fel enjoined the congregation to suggest programs and projects that we think we should take on while considering the presence of many gifts and graces among us. He referred to Phil Bandy, Conference Volunteers in Mission director for six years, who would be able to “support us expand our mission to other places…”
The pastor also urged for full support to our church-start project in American Canyon. He said that the Conference has put out the church-planting challenge, a way to “take our stories of faith out into the world as a testimony of God’s love for all of us.”*
That we have created a culture of birthing a new church, is what I would like my ministry at Wayside to be remembered for, Pastor Fel said.
Work in American Canyon is towards faith and community development.
Worship service and Church School are held Saturdays starting at 4 p.m. and Bible Study is conducted on Thursdays at 7.
Work to address American Canyon’s needs (studied during a community assessment last year) has started. There had been workshops and discussions in Philippine history & language, Immigration Know-Your-Rights and legal referrals, and mental health issues. Ongoing is a collaboration with American Canyon Family Resource Center, Solano County Health Services, and the Immigration Task Force of the California-Nevada Annual Conference.
“Filipinos and Filipino Americans are the main ethnic people focus of the
community development,” Pastor Fel noted. “We’ve also identified other needs such as in the areas of Youth Empowerment and Leadership Development, development of a Safe Sanctuary ministry; and availability of Housing/Financial Advice.”
Support to the AC church start up includes grants from the California-Nevada Annual Conference through the formerly Bridges District and now Los Rios District Church Extension Society. The American Canyon new church start up is blessed to have the presence from retired pastors Winston Cruz and Estan Cueto with their and spiritual gifts offered, and several Wayside members as missionaries to American Canyon.
Bishop Minerva Carcaño, second from left, visited the American Canyon New Church Start Up location with District Superintendent Schuyler Rhodes.
Do you know how many years have Pastor Fel been serving with us?
This will be his seventh year. The pastor was first appointed here in 2010, and served until 2013 when he was moved to Sanger. After a year, he was reappointed back here, and has been our pastor since then.
Wayside is Pastor Fel’s fifth appointment within the California-Nevada Annual Conference. With him, more than 15 ministers have served Wayside during the past 60 years.
*”Testify to love. Your story matters.” – theme of 2017 Session of California-Nevada Annual Conference
Celebration of Pastor Fel’s reappointment to Wayside from July 2017 to June 2018 was included in our July 2-worship.
Our fifty four year old pastor was ordained in 1990. He is a graduate of Union Theological Seminary-Philippines with the Master of Divinity degree (with Honors) in 1990 and earned the Doctor of Ministry degree from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley. He and wife Nerice, a Deaconess, have children Andrea, Asbury, and Amos.
Another ministry started during Pastor Fel’s itinerancy was in Food Justice. For more than two years now, Wayside and First have been operating UpTown Café at First church on Virginia St. An average of 75 people are served lunch every last two Saturdays by 10-15 trained volunteers. This ministry receives support from the Contra Costa Food Bank.
(Articles contributed by Lay Leader Jayn Mercado and Rev. Dr. Fel Cao)
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Mission: Make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Connect people to God.
Align people in small groups.
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Extend helping hand to the world.
Serve the community.
CAREship: healing in people.